RWM Exhibition gears up for 46th year

I2i Events group, organizer of RWM 2014, hosted in partnership with the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), is preparing for the exhibition’s 46th convention and exposition for the resource efficiency and waste management industries.

According to i2i events, RWM will feature participants from five industry sectors: recyclers & reprocessors, professional services, energy from waste, handling & logistics and equipment & machinery. In recent years the event has grown to attract around 15,000 attendees.

The annual event is scheduled for Sept. 16-18, 2014, once again at the NEC conference center in Birmingham, U.K. This year RWM has moved to Halls 4 and 5 and the outdoor area of the NEC, the biggest exhibition venue in the country, to showcase the industry in the scale it demands, i2i says, allowing more space for enhanced features and product demonstrations.

New this year to the RWM Exhibition is Circular Economy Connect, an area dedicated to facilitating networking for sustainability and waste professionals across commerce and industry. I2i says Circular Economy Connect is designed to allow attendees to meet the professionals and discover strategies to help expand the use of closed-loop practices and lead to greater efficiencies, whether in terms of recycling, product design or waste management. Event planners report that the area will comprise a conference theatre, a daily program of practical workshops and dedicated networking areas.

I2i also reports that a number of high-profile speakers have been added to the event schedule. Speakers include Eric Pickles MP, secretary of state for communities and local government; Sir Stuart Rose, chairman of Ocado,Andrew Bird, chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC); U.K. Councillor Clyde Loakes, deputy leader; David Palmer-Jones, chairman of Environmental Services Association; Dr. Andy Rees, head of waste strategy for the U.K.’s Department for Natural Resources and Food; and Dr. Liz Goodwin, CEO of the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

This year’s event also features what the event planners describe as “facilitated networking,” with new dedicated areas for meeting with peers and discussing best practices.

The RWM exhibition is free to attend, accredited by the U.K.’s Continuing Professional Development certifying authority and features CIWM-approved seminar content, i2i says. Key partners and supporters of the event include CIWM, ESA and lead media partners MRW and CIWM Journal. The RWM exhibition is also co-located with The Energy, The Water and The Renewables Events.